Beijing Royal Fighters — Boca Juniors: 78:88, Intercontinental Cup

Boca Juniors beat Beijing Royal Fighters 88 to 78 in the Intercontinental Cup on Monday in Beijing. The Argentine side held firm after a steady opening period and closed out the game with a run that Beijing could not match. To be fair, the hosts started brightly but faded when the visitors found their rhythm.

The visitors took control in the second quarter, building a lead that never looked in serious danger. Beijing replied with a burst of three-pointers, but Boca kept their composure on defence. And here's the thing — the difference came in the paint, where the guests won the rebound battle decisively.

Beijing finished with 27 rebounds to Boca's 40, a gap that told the story of the match. The visitors also registered 29 field goals against 26, while the hosts managed 19 three-point attempts to 23. Boca's 17 assists compared with Beijing's 11 showed better ball movement when it mattered most.

The hosts had been fancied for victory, but that prediction did not come to pass. We had given 52 per cent confidence to Beijing, yet the game slipped away in the final stages. By then the visitors had already extended their confidence, something that showed in their defensive rebounds.

Boca's away record in this competition remains to be seen, but this result puts them in a strong position. Beijing will need to regroup quickly if they want to stay in contention. The scoreline reflects a game decided in key moments, not a blowout from start to finish.